Sydney Yeager
INSIGHT · STRATEGY · INNOVATION
Innovation powered by empathic insights and data-driven decision-making. As a digital anthropologist, I synergize qualitative and quantitative research to deliver insights into human experience that shape problem-solving and tech-led futures. I am an expert at sense-making and contextualizing diverse datasets into human-centered solutions.
WORK EXPERIENCE
AcreTrader, Fayetteville, AR — UX Researcher
AUGUST 2022 – JANUARY 2023
- Investment Platform – User Conversion and Investor Engagement
- Stand Up UX Research Organization
- Established Research Processes, Cadence, and Documentation
- Conducted UX research end-to-end
- Prioritized research to align with product goals and company objectives
- Collaborated with internal stakeholders to generate UX goals
- Self-initiated, planned and executed generative and evaluative research
- Built deep foundational knowledge of users and the product
- Established continuous discovery process
- Taught others how to apply a range of UX research methods
Rollins College, Winter Park, FL — Visiting Assistant Professor of Anthropology and Global Health
AUGUST 2021 – JULY 2022
- Taught mixed-methods research and supervised 170 projects
Yeager-Wright Digital Marketing, Remote — Co-Founder
- Digital Transformation: marketing, community outreach, user experience, market research, and managing cross-functional team for startups, small businesses, and nonprofits
Preventice Solutions/Boston Scientific, Remote — Product Management Intern
- Software Development Life Cycle in an Agile Environment
- Developed and Evangelized a Product Vision and Road Map
- Workstreams: Development of New Portal, Internal Operational Changes, & Patient Engagement Channel
University of Central Arkansas, Conway, AR/Remote — Adjunct Lecturer of Anthropology, Sociology, and Honors
- Taught research methods and supervised 281 research projects
Hendrix College, Conway, AR — Adjunct Lecturer
- Taught mixed-methods research and supervised 66 projects
Society for Medical Anthropology — Webmaster
NOVEMBER 2017 – FEBRUARY 2021
- Web design, social media, digital content, tech support
PROJECTS
Neurodivergence, Identity, & Social Media – Lead Researcher
Beginning in 2021, I began observing multiple neurodivergent communities, studying their self-identification and identity curation on social media. Generative research focused on understanding neurodiverse experiences including participant observation in online communities and hashtag ethnography.
COVID Denial and Distrust in the Ozarks – Lead Researcher
In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, I began research on the impact of heightened distrust of government and media in the Arkansas Ozarks on public health outcomes, collecting data on digital participation in disinformation and distrust on Facebook. This work includes interviews with community members, healthcare providers in the region, and discourse analysis of social media posts, primarily on Facebook.
Mourning Practices on Facebook: Facebook Shrines and Other Rituals of Grieving in the Digital Age — Lead Researcher
Defended and published in 2021 for SMU, I conducted ethnographic research on the impact of mourning on Facebook users’ experiences. This digital health project investigated social support networks and community building in social media spaces. I conducted interviews with Facebook users, local religious leaders, mental healthcare providers, and educators. I combined the qualitative insights from my interviews with quantitative data from my online survey of Facebook users and visual and discourse analysis of Facebook posts with mourning content.
Acting in America — Research Assistant
From 2015 to 2016, I transcribed interviews, created metadata, and curated digital data for the Library of Congress’s Occupational Folklife Project.
Joseph Campbell Foundation — Research & Scientific Editor
In 2016-2017, I researched the science of dates and made edits for accuracy for the republication of The Complete Works of Joseph Campbell. I edited the works to update the content to include the most recent findings from archeology, paleoanthropology, and human biology.
Making School Consolidation a Win-Win – Consultant
In Fall 2014, I consulted with the same school district while it was planning its consolidation with the long-standing revival school district of a neighboring community. I provided insights into the community tensions and priorities, based on past generative research and participant-observation and focus group interviews during the early consolidation talks. I delivered a two-year strategy for a peaceful consolidation, which was followed with great success.
Smartphone Awareness, Absorption & Anxiety – Consultant
In March 2013, this research project focused on smartphone use in relation to anxiety and identity among teachers and students in South Arkansas. I interviewed teachers, administrators, parents, and students in addition to participant-observation in the community and school. I also surveyed teachers and admins and presented my findings to the school administration which directly shaped the introduction of their new cellphone study.
Irish Cures and Faith Healing – Lead Researcher
In 2012, I conducted generative ethnographic research in the Republic of Ireland, focused on alternative healing, ethnomedicine, and religion.
The Embodiment of Birth – Lead Researcher
In 2011, 2016, and 2017, I conducted generative research into the natural birth movements in Dallas, Austin, and San Antonio. I shadowed Doulas and Hypnobirthing Educators in their training seminars, at workshops they gave to expectant parents, and interviewed the birth educators and participants.
Good Roots: An Ethnography of Storytelling, Healing, and Family in the Ozarks – Lead Researcher
From 2007 to 2009, I conducted generative research including interviews, participant-observation, and collected genealogical data relevant to my ethnographic research on traditional healing and kinship in the Ozarks. This work was presented to the community, as guest lectures, at academic conferences, and utilized to write my honors thesis.
Conserving Arkansas Agricultural Heritage – Research Assistant
From 2008 to 2009, I managed event planning and logistics for the first annual Seed Swap. I interviewed participants, collected samples of heirloom seeds, and organized data collected for the CAAH’s Seed Bank, establishing protocols for data collection and training other research assistants.
SKILLS
Digital Anthropology
- Empathy
- Ethnography
- Thick Data
- Ethics
- Teaching
Research
- Generative Research
- Market Research
- Research Design
- Human-Centered Research
- Digital Methods
- Mixed-Methods
- Interviews
- Focus Groups
- Online Surveys
- Decision Modeling
- IRB & Research Ethics
- Research Management
Data Analysis
Business
- Digital Innovation
- Branding Strategy
- Go to Market Strategy
- Digital Marketing
- Product Management
- Financial Modeling
- Concept Evaluation
- Prioritization
- Business Analysis
- Membership Recruitment
- Networking
Design
- Web Design
- Course Design
Process Design - Ideation
Communication
- Public Speaking
- Presentations
- Writing
- Content Editing
- Data Visualization
- Social Media
- UX Writing
DELIVERABLES
- Research Proposal & Roadmap
- Insight Report
- Presentation / Slide Deck / Video
- Personas / Archetype
- Use Cases & User Needs
- Decision Tree
- Engagement Data Analytics
- Mockups and Wireframing
- User Journey Map
- Mapping Pain Points
- Swimlane
- Workflow
- High Level Data Flow
- Financial Model / ROI Forecast
- Product Vision & Roadmap
- KPIs & Evaluation Criteria
- Conversational AI Scripts
- Websites
EDUCATION
Southern Methodist University
Ph.D., Cultural Anthropology
MA, Cultural Anthropology
University of Central Arkansas
Bachelor of Science in History
AFFILIATIONS
Digital Anthropology Interest Group (DANG)
Co-Founder 2012-Present
Chair 2015-Present
Social Media 2012-2015
UNESCO & LiiV Research Center: Digital Innovation in Anthropology Initiative Collaborator 2021 – Present
American Anthropological Association (AAA)
Member 2011 – Present
National Association for the Practice of Anthropology (NAPA) Member 2021 – Present
EPIC Member 2022 – Present
Society of Medical Anthropology (SMA) Exo Board Member, Webmaster, Communications Committee, 2017-2021
Society of Anthropology of Consciousness
Exec. Board & Communications Chair 2013-2021
Program Chair 2016-2018
Fulbright: Afghanistan Fall Enrichment Seminar Program Ambassador 2016 & 2017
Sydney Yeager 